Peter Ormerod's 'David Bowie and the Search for Life, Death and God' Review
In a new book review, Peter Ormerod's David Bowie and the Search for Life, Death and God is examined, offering an exhilarating account of Bowie's spirituality and the quasi-religious nature of his work, from Space Oddity to Blackstar. It challenges the cliche that the world went wrong after Bowie's death in 2016, arguing instead that he prophesied the mayhem and chaos that have since unfolded.
Bowie's Prophetic Vision of Modern Chaos
In his later years, Bowie believed we had entered a zone of chaos and fragmentation, which allowed him to be prescient about the internet's menace rather than its promise. His world, as depicted in songs from Space Oddity to the background violence of The Next Day and Blackstar, was often one of destruction, with lyrics like "This ain't rock'n'roll, this is genocide" from Diamond Dogs highlighting this theme. Bowie prefigured elements of Trumpworld, as seen in tracks such as Under the God from the 1989 Tin Machine album, which critiqued supremacist hate and right-wing violence.
Religion and Spirituality in Bowie's Art
Ormerod's book frames Bowie as essentially a religious artist, tracing his spiritual journey from the Anglicanism of St Mary's Church in Bromley, where he sang in the choir, to his immersion in Tibetan Buddhism in the late 1960s and interest in the occultism of Aleister Crowley. The review notes that while initial sections might feel familiar to avid fans, the analysis gains momentum when delving into Bowie's later work, particularly the album Heathen, and offers fine, detailed discussions of The Next Day, Blackstar, and the musical theatre piece Lazarus.
The Central Themes of Life and Love
By the end, Ormerod argues that Bowie's work is driven by two essential sources: life and love. Bowie once stated that his devotional practice was "Life. I love life very much indeed." However, his music often expressed a painful yearning and isolation, counterpointed by his later finding of love in family life and the distension of existence with ageing. The book highlights an apophaticism in Bowie's art, a tendency to negate propositions, as heard in his final song I Can't Give Everything Away, which merges deep emotion with refusal.
Bowie as a Modern Saint and Pilgrimage Figure
The review suggests that Bowie functioned as a kind of saint, with his archive at the V&A East seen as a vast reliquary inspiring pilgrimage among fans. Ormerod, a convert to Bowie's music, posits that religion does not just influence Bowie's music but is its moving essence, central to his artistic output. This perspective invites readers to see Bowie's work as a form of church, where listening becomes a spiritual practice.
